Artist Profile: Adrian Valencia

One of our best-selling cards features a pair of long slim legs clad in Prada kitten heels. Sure, the line “May All Your Gift Be Shoes” is hard to resist, but what makes these cards stand out are the super-chic drawings, courtesy of illustrator Adrian Valencia.

We first met Adrian over 10 years ago in London, when we commissioned him at a fashion magazine. He arrived at our offices, not long out of art school, and luckily for us his portfolio was as delightful as his Argentinian charm.

When we started J. Falkner, we knew we wanted a great line of fashion cards and our immediate thought was: get Adrian! Since we first worked with him, he’s assembled a pretty fabulous client list, including British Airways, Montblanc, Cartier, and Vanity Fair Italy. But he was as enthusiastic about collaborating as we were, and found the time to create the wonderful “Style Set” range, which features everyday cards, and also a new holiday range.

We are fascinated by how visual ideas come together, so we were delighted when Adrian agreed to share his creative process. Here, in his own words:

“Everything can be a source of inspiration. A woman getting out of a car … A couple waiting for the ski chair lift in the Alps … Elle McPherson taking her kids to school … The little toys I keep on my desk … A great music video … A fun night out with my friends …

“I don’t think I’m drawing fashion. I simply observe what is around me and then draw. I’m fascinated by how people carry themselves in certain clothes, and I hardly ever get bored.

“I see illustration going back to basics. I see a lot of illustration mixing watercolor and graphite. There are many trends around but it is still something precious to see hand drawn artwork.

“I love art that tells a story. I love Lori Earley. Her work makes me want to paint. Her talent is not only inspirational but sexy, fun and emotionally provocative. (See Lori’s work here.)

“Right now my favorite color is fluorescent orange. A friend gave me a beautiful orange folder to keep my desk tidy, and on sunny days it seems to glow with its own light.”